Delivery mechanism for ice vending machines



M. T. ZEIGLER DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR TCE VENDTNG Nov. 30,11937.

MACHINES 5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1952 Nov. 30, 1937. M. T. zx-:IGLER 2,100,423

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR ICE-VENDING MACHINES Filed Jan. 2l, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet` 2 Nov. so, 1937. M. T, ZEGLER 2,100,423

DELIVERY MECHNISM FOS` ICE VENDTNG MACHINES Filed Jan. 2l, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 30, 1937. M. T. ZEIGLER 2,100,423

- DELVERY MECHANISM FOR TCE VENDTNG MCHNES I Filed Jan. 21, 1932 5 sheets-sheet 4 SITTHNEXL M. T. ZEIGLER Nov. 30, 1937.

I DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR ICE VENDING MACHINES l Filed Jan. 2l, 1.9 52 5 Sheets-Shee't 5 ENTUR K w LLl ZEIELEE EI W l lau/2D N :L-L

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 DELWERY MECHANISM FOR. ICE VENDNG MACHINES Maxwell T. Zeigler, Huntington Park, Calif., arssignor, by mesne assignments, to Zeigler Packaged Ice Machinery Corporation, Huntington Park, Calif., a. corporation of California Application January 21, 1932, serial No. 587,954

Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines, and has for an object the provision of a novel and highly eicient delivery mechanism for machines of this general class.

A more detailed object is to provide a delivery mechanism for a vending machine so constructed that it operates quickly, eii'iciently, and positively, every attention having been paid to so designing the machine that under all normal circumstances of use by the public it will operate to deliver the article or articles intended to be vended, each time a coin or coins of proper denomination are deposited in the coin box provided for the purpose.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a delivery mechanism from which it is practically impossible for an unauthorized person to receive any of the articles the machine is intended to vend, without nrst depositing the necessary coin or coins.

A further object is to provide an article-deliver# ing mechanism as described, which is adapted to handle the articles delivered thereby very gently, and thereby avoid danger oi breaking or otherwise harming the articles. This feature particularly adapts the machine of the present invention for use in conjunction with machines for vending blocks of ice of predetermined size and weight, although it is to be understood that my improved delivery mechanism is capable of substantially universal application. Hence the delivery mechanism of the present invention may be considered as an improvement over that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 529,165, led April 10, 1931, now Patent No. 2,074,351.

The invention possesses other objects and advantageous features, some of which, with those enumerated, will be set forth in the following description of the inventions particular embodiment which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the speciiication.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of an ice vending machine which includes a delivery mechanism embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the delivery mechanism. A portion of the gure is broken away to reduce its size.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon Ythe line 3-3 of Fig. 1, with the direction of view as indicated. The extension of the upper chute is omitted from this gure for clearness,

' engaged by each vended article as (Cl. S12-35) Fig. 4 is a detail view in side elevation of the delivery mechanism. The direction of view is directly opposite to that of Fig. 2. c Fig. 5 is a detail view in transverse vertical section along the axis of one oi the multiple operating shafts of the escapement mechanism. l

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken upon the line -S of Fig. 5, With the direction of View as indicated. l Y

Fig. 'l is aY sectional view taken upon the line 'l--l of Fig. 6, with the direction of View as indicated.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail View showing the cooperative relationship between one of the cams of the escapement mechanismand its associated cam followers. This View shows the parts in the respective positions occupied thereby. when the lower stop means is in operative position and the upper stop means is withdrawn.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the parts'in the Vpositions assumed thereby when the lower stop means is withdrawn and the -upper stop means is in operative position. v

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of machine substantiallyupon the line I2-l2 of Fig. l0, and showing the cooperative relationship between the control switch an-d the trip which is The preferred embodimentfof my improved de- Y livery mechanism has been illustrated as being it is released applied to and forming a portionvof avending machine indicated in its entirety at 2 I. Although the delivery mechanism may be employed advan-V tageously with various types of vending machines, the vending machine 2l chosen for illustration is adapted to dispense blocks of ice of predetermined All of the guideways 21 of both chutes 23 and 24 lead to a common delivery mechanism 29, whereby articles dispensed from any of the guideways may be discharged from the housing 22 through a passage or opening 3| common to all the guideways. 'This opening 3| is formed in the front wall 32 of the housing 22. Each of the guideways 21 serves as a magazine adapted to receive and store a plurality of blocks 331, 34, etc., of ice of predetermined size and weight, and, as clearly shown upon Figs. l and 2, the oor of each guideway 21 is defined by rollers 35, upon which the blocks are adapted to rest. Hence the blocks tend to move by gravity downwards along the various guideways 21 toward the delivery mechanism 29, to which they are released one at a time by an escapement mechanism indicated in its entirety at 31.

This escapement mechanism 31 is best illustrated upon Figs. 2 to 9 inclusive. rIhe lower end 4| of each chute 23, 24 is deflected downwards at a greater inclination than the remainder of that chute, and each of these deflected portions 4| corresponds substantially in length to the length of one of the blocks 33, 34 of ice, as clearly shown upon Fig. 2. Owing to the greater inclination of the portion 4| of each chute, a block 33 of ice resting upon the inclined portion will lean forwards from the next adjacent block 34 on the same guideway, thereby deining a space 42 between the upper edges of the lowermost block 33 and the next adjacent block 34 upon each guideway, it being understood that these two blocks engage each other at their lower edges 43.

Although each of the chutes 23 and 24 may be divided into any desired number of guideways 21, the modification chosen for illustration includes three guideways 21 in each chute. The escapement mechanism 31 includes a pair of multiple shafts 46 and 41 extending transversely across each chute, these multiple shafts being disposed in parallelism with and preferablyclosely adjacent each other, as best shown upon Fig. 2. Inasmuch as all of the multiple shafts 46 and 41 are of identical construction, it will suce for the purpose of the present disclosure to describe but one of them, say, for example, the shaft 41. As illustrated upon Figs. 5 to 1 inclusive, this multiple shaft 41 comprises a shaft or rod 48 extending completely across all three guideways 21 of the associated chute. One end 49 of the rod 48 is journaled in a strip 5| which extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the inclined portions 4| of both chutes 23 and 24, so as to support the ends 49 of the rods 48 of `all four multiple shafts 46 and 41. From the strip 5| the rod 48 extends through the proximal side wall 52 of the associated chute and. across all three guideways of that chute to be journaled at 53 in the opposite side wall 54. A tube 56 shorter than the rod 48 is revolubly disposed thereupon, and a second tube 51 which is still shorter is revolubly disposed upon the tube 56. Both tubes 56 and 51, as well as the rod 48, extend through the side wall 52. Each tube 55 and 51 and the rod 48 are provided with individual, L-shaped arms 58, each of which is rigidly secured to the rod 48 or the associated tube 56 or 51, as the case might be, by means of a hub portion 59 encircling and welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the associated supporting member. The arrangement of different lengths of tubes 56 and 51 and rod il as above described permits each multiple shaft 46, 41 to support an L-shaped arm 58 over each guideway 2-1, each of these L-shaped arms being individually rotatable about the axis of its associated supporting member. Both multiple shafts 46 and 41 associated with each chute are so disposed that they extend transversely over substantially the central portion of the blocks 33 of ice which rest upon the deilected portion 4| of the associated chute as clearly shown upon Fig. 2, and the L-shaped arms which are associated with v the lower multiple shaft 41 incline downwards and forwards so that stop means, preferably in the form of a roller 6| carried at the outer end of each L-shaped arm, is adapted to engage the forward face 52 of the block of ice 33 on the associated deflected portion 6 i. The L-shaped arms carried by the upper multiple shaft 66 are indicated at 63 and extend in the opposite direction as compared with the lower L-shaped arms 58, so that their stop means 6| are adapted to engage the after face 64 of the block 33 (see Fig. 2). Thus it may be seen that the lower arms 58 serve to hold the blocks 33 until the arms are raised, and the upper arms 63 serve to prevent the next adjacent block 34 from moving down onto the deflected portions 4| as the lowermost block 33 is released, the upper arms 53 holding the next blocks 34 until such time as the lower arms 58 are again returned to holding position.

Means are provided for turning the separate elements of each multiple shaft so as to release the blocks 33 from the several guideways in succession, For this purpose crank arms 66, 61, and 68 are provided upon each tube 51, tube 56, and rod 48, respectively. Each crank arm is provided with a roller 65 at its out-er end, and all six rollers 69 of each pair of multiple shafts 46 and 41 rest upon a cylindrical cam 1| (see Figs. 3, 8, and 9). Each cam is rotatably carried by a rod 12 which extends between the strip 5| and the side wall 52, and each cam is provided with three pairs of grooves, each pair comprising' a long groove 13 and a short groove 15. The parts are so proportioned and arranged that the roller 69 of each crank arm 66, 61, and 68, as the case might be, of the associated lower multiple shaft 41, is adapted to drop into the shorter groove 14 as the associated cam rotates, whereas the roller 69 of each crank arm of the upper multiple shaft is adapted to drop into the longer groove 13 of the associated cam. Each crank arm is provided with a second arm 16 rigid therewith, to the outer end of which a spring 11 under tension is connected. The other end of each spring 11 is connected to a rigid bracket 18, whereby the springs 11 are adapted to continually press the rollers 69 of their associated crank arms against the associated cam 1|. Each earn 1| is provided with a sprocket 19, the sprockets 13 being interconnected by means of a driving chain 8l which also is enmeshed upon a sprocket 82 carried by a drive shaft 83 which receives power from a motor |35 and a speed reduction gearing 86. Thus it may be seen that both sprockets 16 are adapted to be rotated whenever the motor B4 is energized, and inasmuch as the sprockets 19 of both cams are of the same size, both cams 1l will rotate at the same rate.

The pairs of 'grooves 13 and 14 in the cams 1| are so distributed about the peripheries thereof, and the cams 1i are so positioned withrrespect to each other, that the escapement mechanismsr associated with the several guideways are adapted to be actuated in succession, so that a block 33 will be released from each guideway successively, thus insuring that after. a block has been released from any one guideway. a block must be subsequently released from each of the other to holding position before the upper arm 63 is' guideways before another block is again released from the said first actuated guideway. Moreover, the grooves 13 and 14 of each pair are so arranged that the lower arm 58 associated with each guideway is first lifted so as to release the block 33 engaged thereby, and then returned to holding position, after which the associated upper arm 63 is lifted to permit the next adjacent blockk 34 to move downwards on its guideway into the position previously occupied by the block which has just been released, whereupon the upper arm 63 again returns to holding position.

Inspection of Figs. 8 and 9 shows that the crank arms 66, 61, and 68 carried by both multiple shafts 46 and 41 of each pair extend from those shafts in substantially the same direction.

Hence, whenever one of the rollers 69, regardless of Whether it is associated with the upper or lower multiple shaft, drops into its associated groove 13 or 14, the associated supporting member of the associated multiple shaft, say, for example, the rod 48, is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed upon Figs. 8 and 9. However, the L-shaped arms 63 of the upper multiple shaft extend in the opposite direction from that in which the L-shaped arms 58 of the lower multiple shaft 41 extend. The result is that when a roller 69 associated with the lower multiple shaft drops into its groove 14, the associated L-shaped arm will be lifted out of holding position, whereas when a roller 69 associated with the upper multiple shaft drops into its groove 13, the associated L-shaped arm 63 will be lowered into holding position. In other words, each lower L-shaped arm is in holding position when its associated cam follower or roller 69 has been removed from its groove 14, whereas each upper L-shaped arm 63 will be in holding position when its associated cam follower 69 has dropped intol its groove 13. Figs. 8 and 9 show that the grooves 13 into which the cam followers 69 of the upper multiple shaft are adapted to drop are 'considerably longer than the grooves 14 associated with the lower multiple shaft. Moreover, the leading end 9| of the groove 13 is in advance of the leading end 92 of the groove 14 on the cam 1|, so that as the cam rotates each cam follower 69 which is connected to an upper arm 63 will drop into the groove 13 and thus move the arm 63 to locking position prior to the time at which the cam follower 69 connected to a lower arm 58 drops into its groove 14. Hence the upper arm 63 associated with each guideway will be in holding position before the lower arm 58 releases the lowermost block 33. Moreover, the lower arm 58 is raised to release the block and then returned raised, inasmuch as the trailing end 94 of the groove 14 is in advance of the trailing end 93 of the groove 13.

It is for the purpose of permitting the'rollers 6| carried by the upper arms 63 to be interposed between the lowermost block 33 and the next adjacent block 34 on each guideway, that the deflected portions 4| are provided. These deflected portions cause the lowermost blocks 33 to tip forwardslightly, presenting a space 42 between the upper edges of the two blocks 33 and 34, although the blocks are in engagement with each other at their lower edges, as clearly shown upon Fig. 2. In order to facilitate movement of a block past the upper arm 63 and onto the deiiected portion 4| of the associated guideway so as to bring the forward face 62 of the block into engagement with the lower arm 58, I prefer to provide a guide 95 over each guideway, adapted to engage the top of the block as it moves onto the deflected portion` and prevent the upper forward corner of the block from coming into engagement with either of the multiple shafts 46 or 41. Preferably these guides 95 are of resilient material, and are supported at their ends only so that they can give slightly if a block `becomes canted between a guide and the rollers 36 of the guideway, thereby insuring that the block will come to rest with its lower surface resting upon all the rollers 36 in the deflected portion 4| of the associated guideway. Otherwise a block might become jammed between the multiple shafts 46 or 41V and the portion of the guideway upon which the block is supported.

All six guideways 21 of the two chutes 23 and 24 are adapted to deliver their blocks of ice by way of a conveyor 96 common to Vall six guideways. This conveyor extends from a position below the delivery end of the guideways toward the delivery opening 3| in the front wall 32 of the housing 22. Preferably the conveyor 96 is in the form of an endless belt or its equivalent tensioned between pulleys 91 and 98. The forward pulley 91 is journaled for rotation about a fixed axis adjacent the opening 3|, whereas the after pulley 96 is mountedupon a bracket 99 which is slidably mounted upon the oor lill of the housing 22,

and is continually urged rearwards awayfrom the front wall 32 by means of a spring |02 so as to keep the conveyor 96 under tension, but toY permit yielding thereof as when a block of ice drops thereupon. A guide plate |93 is provided adjacent the opening 3| to slide blocks from a side of the conveyor into registry with the opening 3| so as to avoid the necessity of making the opening 3i to correspond in width to the chutes 23 and 24.

The conveyor 96 receives power to cause the upper run thereof to move toward the opening 3|, from the same motor 84 as that which drives the cams 1|. For this purpose the shaft 83 where- I I by the sprocket .82 is carried extends beyond the sprocket and into a transmission |04, whereby power from the motor 84 is transmitted to a drive vshaft |06 which is connected to the forward pulley 91 ofthe conveyor 96. Thus it may bev seen that whenever the escapement mechanism 31 isk operated to permit release of a block of ice, the conveyor 96 is also actuated to convey that block of icevto and through the delivery opening 3| VA closure |01 is provided for the opening 3|,

and this closure is adapted to be raised by hydraulic mechanism indicated in its entirety at |08. This closure and the operating mechanism Ytherefor are more completely described in my copending application Serial No. 529,105, filed April 10, 1931. Suffice it forfthe purpose of the present disclosure, therefore, to point out that the pump whereby pressure is supplied to the hydraulic mechanism |08 is also connected, as by a shaft |09, to the motor 84, so that as soon as the motor 84 is energized, the pump will be started and pressure supplied to the hydraulic mechanism wall 32, as illustrated upon Fig. 1.r The control switch includes a solenoid I2 which is adapted to be energized by mechanism which has not been illustrated, when a coin or coins of suitable denomination are inserted into a coin box 3 mounted upon the outer surface of the front wall 32. Energization of the solenoid ||2 causes the armature H4 thereof to be drawn downwards onto the solenoid, tipping a rocker arm I I6 which carries the armature I I4 at one end and a weight |22 at the other end.V The rocker arm IIS is mounted upon a bracket H1, and a mercury switch ||8, preferably of conventional design, is mounted upon the rocker arm I i6. The parts are so arranged, however, that when the armature 4 is drawn downwards toward the solenoid I|2 the motion of the rocker arm |||5 thus produced will cause similar motion of the mercury switch ||8, moving the switch to horizontal position and permitting the mercury I9 thereof to establish electrical communication between the conductors 2| which lead to the mercury switch H8. The rocker arm IIB and the mercury switch I I8 mounted thereon are adapted to be held in horizontal position after the circuit momentarily closed by the dropping of a coin has caused the solenoid H2 to attract armature H4 for an instant. For this purpose a detent |23 is mounted, as by a pivot pin |24, upon a finger |25 which is carried by a shaft |21 extending through a wall of the control switch. The detent |23 is urged to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed upon F'ig. 11, by means of a spring |28. A trip |29 is pivotally mounted upon a rod |3I in the opening 3| in such position that when a block of ice passes through the opening the trip will be swung in a counterclockwise direction, as Viewed upon Fig. 1, and in a clockwise direction, as viewed upon Fig. 12. Rigid with the rod I3! is a crank arm |32 having a pull rod |33 pivoted thereto. This rod I 33 is also pivoted to a second crank arm |34 which is rigid with the shaft |21. The result of this arrangement is that when the trip |23 is moved by a block of ice in passing through the opening 3|, the rod |33 will be pulled downwards, turning the shaft |21 far enough to withdraw the detent |23 from under the rocker arm l I6 upon which the mercury switch i 8 is mounted. This will permit the mercury switch to return to normal position, i. e., the position in which it is illustrated upon Fig. 10, breaking the electrical connection between the conductors |2i, and inasmuch as these are the conductors whereby the motor 84 is energized, this motion of the arm I I 6 of the control switch results in (ie-energizing the motor 84. However, when the solenoid I|2 is energized, swinging arm IIS in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed upon Fig. l0, the arm |22 will be elevated sufficiently to permit the spring |28 to move the detent |23 under the arm IIS, thereby holding the arm H5 elevated with the mercury switch ||8 in horizontal position until the trip |25 is engaged by a block of ice passing through the opening 3|.

Means are provided for preventing the insertion of coins into the slots |35 of the coin box H3 if all the guideways 21 are empty. Upper and lower shafts |31 and |33 are journaled in the side walls 52 and 53, and extend over the guideways of the upper and lower chutes, respectively. Each shaft |31, |38 is provided with a nger |39 extending downwards therefrom toward each of the several associated guideways, and these ngers |39 are in such position that they are adapted to be engaged by the blocks 33 of ice upon the deflected portions 4| of the .guideways Both shafts |31 and |38 are interconnected by a rod |4I, so that all the ngers |39 are disposed in substantially the same relative position. A spring |42 urges all the fingers |39 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed upon Fig. 13, i. e., to press the fingers against the blocks of ice 33. However, inasmuch as all the fingers are interconnected by the rod |4I, both shafts |31 and |38 are held against rotation as long as there is a block of ice 33 upon the deflected portion 4| of any one of However, as soon as all of the The lever |45 carries a plate |48 which is adapted 'f' to be moved under the coin slots |36 when the lever |45 is moved forward, and thereby prevent insertion of coins into the slots |36. However, as l soon as a block 33 moves onto any one of the deflected portions 4|, the associated finger will be engaged by that block, turning both shafts |31 and |38 to normal position, and withdrawing the plate |48 so that coins then can be inserted into the slots |36. It should be explained that the coin box I|3 contains any preferred mechanisrn (not shown) for completing the circuit between conductors |49 which lead to the solenoid ||2 in the control switch |II, this mechanism being actuated whenever coins of the proper denomination are inserted into the slot |36.

@ne of the important features of the delivery mechanism of the present invention is that it adapted to handle the blocks of ice 33 so gently that there is little danger of their being broken when handled thereby. of the lower chute is positioned only a short distance above the conveyor 33, the result being thatwhen a block 33 is released from any one of the three guideways 21 of the lower chute, it will shde forward or tip and drop onto the conveyor 9, but with so little force that the block will not be harmed. The spring |32 will give slightly when the block lands upon theconveyor, thereby breaking the shock of the fall and thus further assisting in avoiding .danger of damage to the block. The delivery end of the up -er chute, however, is elevated a considerable distance above the conveyor 53, and accordingly I have provided an extension |5| which is hinged to the delivery end of the upper chute and adapted to receive the blocks 33 as they are released 'therefrom and convey them relatively gently to the conveyor 35. This extension I5| is intheform of a. chute or slide hinged as at |52, and of such length that when it swings downwards from the position illustrated upon Figs, 2 and 4 its lower end will rest upon or be positioned closely adjacent the conveyor 35. The extension |5| is The delivery end normally held in elevated position by yieldable ing through a suitable packing |6| at the upvided with a suitable check valve |63 extension will be swung downwards, but relatively slowly. This causes the block to tip forward, bringing its forward face 62 into engagement with the floor of the extension I5I, in which position the block remains motionless with respect'.

to the extension as the extensionv continues to swing downwards. As soon as the extension has swung downwards far enough to assume a sufficiently inclined position, the block` 33 will slide forwards thereupon and come gently to rest upon the conveyor 96 and be conveyed by it to and through the delivery opening 3|.

Another detail of construction of my improved delivery mechanism which reduces the possibil-v ity of damaging the blocks of ice being handled thereby, is the novel design of roller 6I with which each of the arms 58 and |53 of the escapement mechanism 31 is provided. These rollers serve as the abutment means which" prevent further movement of a block of ice after the ice has come to rest thereagainst.' and until the abutment means is withdrawn from holding position. Each roller 6I is journaled upon a shaft |66 which extends between fingers |61 at- Each roller comprises the end of each arm 58. an inner and outer tube |68 and |59, respectively, preferably of metal, the inner tube |68 being rotatably tted upon the shaft |66 and the outer tube |69 being of considerably greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of the inner tube |68. This leaves an annular space between the two tubes |68 and |69, and within this space, and preferably filling the same, is aV sleeve I1I of resilient material such as soft rubber. This permits the outer tube |69 to move laterally with respect to the inner tube |68, which is held against lateral movement by the shaft |66, and accordingly presents a cushion which is adapted to absorb the shock of engagement of a block of ice which comes into contact with the roller 6| with considerable force.

Operation When the proper coin or coins are inserted into the coin slots |36, the solenoid ||2 will be energized as hereinabove described, swinging the arm IIG downwards and carrying the mercury switch I|8 to horizontal position so as to com-f plete the circuit which includes the conductors I2I, thereby energizing the motor 84. Even though the solenoid ||2 is energized for a relatively short interval of time, the mercury switch I|8 remains in circuit-closing position because of the engagement of the arm IIB on top of the detent |23.

Energization of the motor 84 results in supplying fluid pressure to the hydraulic mecha- Y nism |08, raising the door H31.V At the same time it starts the conveyor 96 into motion, and starts operation of the escapement mechanism 31 by rotating the cams 1I.

The result of rotating the cams' 1| is to move one of the shorter grooves 14 under the cam d n follower or roller 69 of the associated lowermul-l tiple shaft, and regardlessof whether this follower is mountedLupon the rod 48,k or one of the tubes 56 or 51 of that multiple shaft, the member which carries this cam follower will be rotated f slightly by means of its spring 11, thereby raising'the lower L-shaped arm 53 which is? carried by that same rod 48 or shaft 56 Gr.51 as Vthe case might be. This will lift the associated stop roller 6I far enough'to permit the lowermost block 33 A to move off the inclined portion 4I of its guideway and onto thev conveyor 96, either directly or through the expedient of the hinged extension I5 depending upon whether it is alowerguide'- way or an upper guideway from which thefblock' is being released.

OwingY to the relative positions of the long 'and short grooves 13 and 14, respectively, of the cams 1|, the stop roller carried by the upper L- shaped arm 63 of the' same guideway willbe in lowered position before the lower YL-shaped arm` is raised. Hence the next block V34 upon the guideway will be permitted to'follow the' block 433 which is being released only until the block 34 comes into engagement with'the upper stop roller 6I, However, upon continued rotation of the cams, thetrailing end 94 of the groove 14 will move under the associated cam follower or roller 69 ofv the lower arm, causing the lower arm again to be moved to holding position and subsequently the trailing end 93 of the groove 13 will moveunder the cam follower connected to the upper arm 63, causingthat arm to be raised, and thereby permitting the next block 34 to move onto the inclined portion 4I of the guidewayV and ,into engagement with the lower stop roller 6 I in readiness to be released the next time thelower stopv roller 6| is raised. However, before this same lower stop roller is raised, releasing anotherY block from the same guideway, one block will havebeen released from each of the other guideways,.owing to the relative arrangement of the grooves 'I3 and j 14 of the two cams 1|. Y

The motorr84 will continueV in operation until a block of ice which has, been delivered tothe conveyor 9B from one of the guideways, islca'r'-V ried to and through the opening 3| atleastfarV 'f this occurs the finger |26 and detent |23 will 4lce withdrawn from` under the arm IIE ony which Yenough to cause'actuationof the trip |29. WhenV Y the mercury switch IIS is mounted, owingto-'tljleV n connection between the nger |26 and the trip |29A by means of the rod |33.

tion as illustrated upon Fig. 10, interrupting theV circuit of motor 34 and causing all portions of the delivery mechanism to come to rest. When a block of ice has been advanced bythe conveyor 96 far enough to engagelthe trip |29 it willvbeA in such position thatit can easily be removed from the vending machine. Y

It will be observed that it is not necessary "for Y This win permit the mercury switch I I8 to return to tipped posi# a purchaser to wait, after having deposited the Y proper coins', long enough .for theactuation of the escapement mechanism 31 to release -a block of ice onto the conveyor 96 and to convey that same block to the opening 3|. It is entirely possible for the delivery mechanism to come to rest *withV one or more blocks resting upon the conveyor 96,

Y so that the next time the machine is startedfin operation itwill be necessary for it to operate only long enough to convey that blockwhich is nearest the front wall 32, to the tripY |29Ybefore A i f K that block canbe removed fromthe machine byY the purchaser. As this occurs another block probably will be released by the escapement mech-- anisrn 3l onto the conveyor 95, Vwhere it will come to rest as soon as the trip |29 has been engaged,

l leaving the block which has just been released from one oi the guideways, upon the conveyor 96 and in readiness to be dispensed upon subsequent operation of the machine.

Should all the guideways 2l become emptied of blocks of ice, or conditions be such that no block will bein a position to be delivered from the lower end of any guideway, the fingers |39 and their supporting rods |31 and |38 will be swung by the spring H32 thereby causing the plate i433 to be moved across the coin slots |315, making it impossible fora person to insert coins into the coin box. This closing of the coin slots, however, will not occur unless all the guideways have become emptied or unless other cause develops for failure of the arrival of a block 33 upon the inclined portion 4| of at least one of the guideways. If it should happen that an unequal number of blocks are loaded into the different 'guideways causing one or more of the guideways to become emptied before the others, the machine can still be operated until the last guideway having' blocks of ice therein, and withv at least oney block of that guideway advanced to the extreme lower end thereof, alsobecomes emptied. This follows from the fact that the shafts 31 and |58 are not permitted to turn until such time as no one of the guideways has a block 33 upon the'inclined portion 4| thereof. As soon as this occurs", the shafts |31 and |38 will turn and cause the coin slots it :to close. This will insure that the purchaser receive a block of ice if he deposits a coin or coins, because the cams l! will continu-etc rotate, thus causing actuation of the upper and lower stop arms 58 and 63 of the several empty guideways in succession until a block of ice isV delivered by the conveyor 9S to the opening 3l, where it engages the trip |253 and causes de-energization of the motor.

It is to be understood that the details of theV invention, as herein disclosed, are subject to alteration within the spirit' or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a vending machine, an inclined Vchute adapted to receive articles to be vended, upper and lower stop means normally lying in the path of articles on said chute, said lower stop means normally engaging the forward face of one of said articles and said upper stop means normally being disposed between said article and the neXt a-djacent one of said articles, means operative to withdraw said lower stop means to release the article engaged thereby and then return said lower stop means to normal position, means operative subsequently to replacement of said lower stop means for withdrawing said upper stop means to permit said next adjacent article to move into engagement with said lower stop means and then return said upper stop means to normal position, and resilient guide means engaging the top of the article as it moves into engagement with said lower stop means.

2. In a vending machine, an inclined chute adapted to receive articles to be vended, an immovable portion of said chute being deflected to present a space between corresponding edges of two of said articles when one of said two articles moves ontosaid deflected portion, upper and lower stop means normally lying in the path of said articles, said lower stop means normally engaging the forward face lof an article upon said deflected portion of said chute and said upper stop means normally extending into said space, means operative to withdraw said lower stop means to release the article on said deflected portion and then return said lower stop means to normal position, and means operative subsequently to replacement of said lower stop means for withdrawing said upper stop means to permit the next of said articles to move onto said deflected portion and then return said upper stop means to normal position.

3. In a vending machine, an inclined chute adapted to receive articles to be vended, a portion of said chute being deflected to present a space between corresponding edges of two of said articles when one of said two articles moves ontol said deflected portion, upper and lower stop means normally lying in the path of said articles, said lower stop means normally engaging the forward face of an article upon said deflected portion of said chute and said upper stop means normally extending into said space, means operative to withdraw said lower stop means to release the article on said deflected portion and then return said lower stop means to ,normal position, means operative subsequently to replacement of said lower stop means for with' drawing said upper stop means to permit the Vnext of said articles to move onto said deflected portion and then return said upper stop means to normal position, and resilient guide means engaging the top of said article as it moves onto said deflected portion.

4. In a vending machine, an inclined chute adapted to receive articlesV 'to be vended, and means for releasing one of said articles at a time comprising upper and lower rods extending trans'- versely with respect to said chute, an angularv arm rigid with each of said rods and having its end deflected into the path of said articles, the end of said lower arm normally engaging the forward face of one of said articles and the end of said upper arm normally being disposed in front of an article behind that engaged by said lower arm, means operative to turn said rods to withdraw said lower arm to release the article engaged thereby and then return said lower arm to normal position', and means operative subsequently to replacement of said lower arm for turning said upper rod to withdraw said upper arm and then return it to normal position.

5. In a vending machine, an inclined chute adapted to receive articles to be vended, and means for releasing one of said articles at a time comprising upper and lower rods extending transversely with respect to said chute, an angular arm rigid with each of said rods and having its end deflected into the path of said articles, the end of said lower arm normally engaging the forward face of one of said articles and the end of said upper arm normally being disposed in front of an article behind that engaged by said lower arm, a cam, rotating means therefor, and a lever rigid with each of` said rods and having means thereon engaging said cam, said cam being adapted to turn said lower rod to withdraw the arm thereon and release the article engaged thereby and then return said lower rod to normal position, and said cam also having means'thereon operable subsequently to the return of said lower rod for turning said upper rod to withdraw the arm thereon and then return the upper rod to normal position.

6. In a vending machine, an inclined chute adapted to receive articles to be vended, a por` tion of said chute being deflected downwards to present a space between the upper edges of two of said articles when one of said two articles moves onto said deflected portion, upper and lower rods extendingl transversely of said chute above the deected portion thereof, an angular arm rigid with each of said rods and having its end deflected into the path of said articles, the end of said lower arm normally engaging the forward face of an article on the deflected portion of said chute and the end of said upper arm normally extending into said space, means operative to turn said rods to withdraw said lower arm and release the article on said deflected portion and then return said lower arm to normal position, and means operative subsequently to replacement of said lower rod for turning said upper rod to withdraw saidV upper arm and then return it to normal position.

'7. In a vending machine, an inclined chute adapted to receive articles to be vended, a portion of said chute being deflected downwards to of said articles when one of said two articles vmoves onto said deflected portion, upper and lower rods extending transversely of said chute above the deflected portion thereof, an angular arm rigidV with each of said rods and having its end deflected into the path of said articles, the end of said lower arm normally engaging the forward face of an article on the deflected portion of said chute and the end of said upper arm normally extending into said space, a cam, rotating means therefor, and a lever rigid with each of said rods and having means thereon engaging said cam, said cam being adapted to turn said lower rod to withdraw the arm thereon and release the article on said inclined portion and then return said` lower rod to normal position, and said cam also having means thereon operable subsequently to the return of said lower rod for turning said upper rod to withdraw the arm thereon and then return the upper rod to normal position. Y

8. In a vending machine, a chute, means dividing said chute into a plurality of guideways, each of said guideways being adapted to receive a plurality of articles to be vended, upper and lowerV multiple shafts extending transversely of said chute, each comprising a rod extending from adjacent one side of said chute to a position over the distal guideway, and a tube associated with each of the other guideways, said shaft and tubes being disposed coaxially and each tube extending from the said side of said chute'to a position over the associated guideway, said rod and tubes f each multiple shaft each having an angular arm rigid therewith over the associated guideway, the arms of said lower multiple shaft normally engaging the forward faces of the lowermost articles on said guideways and each of the arms of said upper multiple shaft normally being disposed in front of an article behind the lowermost articles on the associated guideway, means at a side of said chute for successively turning the tubes and rod of said lower multiple shaft to withdraw the associated arms to release in succession the articles engaged thereby and then return the arms to normal position, and means at said side of said chute for turning the tu'oes and rod of said upper multiple shaft to withdraw the arms thereof and then return them to normaliposition, each upper arm being withdrawn subsequently to return of the associated lower arm to normal position.

articles thereon when one of said two articles is.V

disposed upon said deflected portion, 'upper and lower multiple shafts extending transversely of said chute, each comprising a rod extending from adjacent one side of said chute to a position over the distal guideway, and a tube'associated with" each of the other guideways, said rod and tubes being disposed coaxially and each tube extending from the said side of said chute to a position over the associated guideway, said rod and tubes of each multiple shaft each having an angular arm rigid therewith over the associated guideway, the arms of said lower multiple shaft normally engaging the forward faces of articles on said deflected portions of said guideways and each of the arms of said upperrmultiple shaft being normally disposed within said space dened by articles on the associated guideway, means at la side of said chute for successively turning the tubes and rod of said lower multiple shaft to withdraw the associated arms to releaseV in successionV the articles engaged thereby and'then return the arms to normal position, and means at said side of said chute for turning the tubes and rod of said upper multiple shaft to withdraw the armsV thereof and then return them to normal position, each upper arm being withdrawn' subseinclined chute in the housing, a door providing egress from the housing, a conveyor leading from the bottom of the chute to the door, escapementV means for releasing articles one at a time from the chute, and means for opening the door, starting the conveyor and operating the escapement means to release'an article from the chute to be deposited on the conveyor and carried thereby to the opened door.'

l2. In a dispensing mechanism, a housing, an inclined chute in the housing, a door providing egress from the housing, a conveyor leading from the bottom of the chute to the door, escapement means for releasing articles one at a time from the chute, and unitary drive means for opening the door, starting the conveyor and causing the escapement means to release Yan article'from the chute so as to be deposited on the conveyor and carried thereby to the opened door.

13.7In a dispensing mechanism, a housing, a

plurality of inclined chutes in the housing, a,

of each chute, and means for opening the door,"

starting the conveyor, and causing the escapement means to release an article from a chute' in sequence upon each opening of the door.

14. In a dispensing mechanism, a housing, a

10 chute having its lower end of greater inclination than the balance of the chute, rock shafts rotatably mounted over the lower end of the chute, arms carried by the rock shafts engageable with the front and back sides of an article positioned on the lower end, and means for rotating the rock shafts independently of each other so as to swing the arms into and out of the path of an article passing along the chute.

MAXWELL T. ZEIGLER. 

